QUEBEC CITY – Tonight, Kyle Noke gets to find out if the dreaded cage rust is real, or just a myth.

It’s likely different, of course, for each fighter. But Noke doesn’t think he’s going to have any issues with it – thanks in large part to the training camp he calls home. The Australian trains at the Jackson-Winkeljohn MMA gym in Albuquerque, N.M., and despite being out of action for 19 months, he said it doesn’t feel that bad.

Noke (20-6-1 MMA, 4-2 UFC) tonight fights Patrick Cote (19-8 MMA, 6-8 UFC) in the co-main event of the TUF Nations Finale, which takes place at Colisee Pepsi in Quebec City, Quebec, Canada. The main card airs live on FOX Sports 1 following prelims on UFC Fight Pass. Noke and Cote coached opposite each other on the Australia vs. Canada edition of “The Ultimate Fighter,” which had its regular season wrap up this past week.

“It’s been a while, but it’s great being from such a big camp,” Noke told MMAjunkie. “With so many guys getting ready for their fights, you have to be there for them. So I’ve been going through fight camps and pushing guys toward their fights. It keeps me in shape and keeps me in fight mode, so it doesn’t feel as bad coming from a big camp.”

Noke last fought in September 2012, when he returned to welterweight after a long run at middleweight and took out Charlie Brenneman in just 45 seconds at UFC 152. That win snapped a two-fight skid for the “TUF 11” cast member.

A shoulder injury sidelined him after that fight and took him out of a fight with Seth Baczynski, and after the recovery, he got the word that he’d be coaching “TUF: Nations.” So he needed to go through the filming of the show, then go through watching it air over the course of three months before he could finally get back in there.

Noke said if he had to do it all over again, he’d prefer to take a fight right before heading into the “TUF” taping, but that detail didn’t sour the experience of coaching on the show for him.

“If they wanted me to do it again, I’d do it again,” he said. “It was a great opportunity. But next time, I’d like to have a fight before I go into the house because it’s so long off. But if they asked me to do it, it’s my job to do it.”

Tonight, it’s his job to beat Cote, who has been off for more than a year, himself. He dropped to welterweight and beat Bobby Voelker at UFC 158 in March 2013.

But that job is helped along by the team in Albuquerque with many fighters trying to peak around the same time. Teammate Tim Kennedy fights right after him tonight in the main event against Michael Bisping. Travis Browne headlines Saturday’s UFC on FOX 11 card against Fabricio Werdum with a chance to fight for the heavyweight title with a win. And light heavyweight champion Jon Jones next week defends his title against Glover Teixeira at UFC 172. And those are just the biggest names.

“The gym’s been phenomenal with everyone getting ready for their fights at the same time,” Noke said. “We’ve all been able to push each other. And having Tim Kennedy on the card, as well, has been great. Tim and I have been pushing each other hard. It’s a great atmosphere, and a great time to fight for us.”